Kohli skips optional practice session due to personal reasons but could play warm-up game tomorrow

PTI, Oct 2, 2023, 8:45 PM IST

Source: X (Formerly Twitter) / File

Thiruvananthapuram: India’s star batter Virat Kohli didn’t join the team’s optional practice session here due to personal reasons but is expected to link up with the squad before the second warm-up game against The Netherlands here on Tuesday.

Kohli had left for Mumbai from Guwahati for some emergency personal reasons on September 30 and wasn’t available for the afternoon training session at the local college ground here.

”It was an optional session. He is expected to join the squad soon and could play the warm-up game if required,” a BCCI source privy to developments told PTI on condition of anonymity.

On the day, skipper Rohit Sharma, batter Shreyas Iyer and pacer Mohammed Shami also skipped the session which was attended by the likes of Shubman Gill, Suryakumar Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah and veteran spin duo Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja.

The World Cup warm-up match against the Dutch will be the last chance for India to get some game time before the start of tournament proper against Australia in Chennai on October 8.

The Indians had a full-fledged session with Gill, Surya and KL Rahul batting for a considerable amount of time against the likes of Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj.

Ashwin and Jadeja also rolled their arm over for considerable period of time as they both are going to play a massive role in this World Cup on tracks which are expected to offer turn.

Surya will be in my XII, says Shastri

The warm-up match could be also a chance for Suryakumar Yadav to press his case for a first XI berth ahead of Shreyas Iyer or Ishan Kishan.

”I will be watching him very closely,” Ravi Shastri said on ESPN Cricinfo.

”If your top-order is firing, you will play him or Shreyas Iyer? If all guys get runs, that guy becomes X factor in big game. The damage he can do along with Hardik (Pandya), they can take the game away. In Indian conditions, your top order will rarely struggle. Surya will always be in my XII,” Shastri said.

But Shastri believes that one should look at the conditions.

”If the track is flat, then it’s Surya and if conditions are tough, then Shreyas,” said the former head coach.

”Play him (Surya) before the semi-final not just in the semi-final.”